High speed printers with column spanning hammers



July 18, 1967 c. I WASSERMAN Re. 26,240

HIGH SPEED PRINTERS WITH COLUMN SFANNING HAMMERS Original Filed Nov. 25,1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 s 7 a 9 10 n 23 on 3 2| c c 2 3 B A 23 A A 4 2s A:2

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BY ATTORNEY July 18, 1967 c. WASSERMAN Re. 26,240

HIGH SPEED PRINTERS WITH COLUMN SFANNING HAMMERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed Nov. 25. 1966 R O m w m CARL I. WASSERMAN ATTORNEY July1967 c. l. WASSERMAN 26,240

HIGH SPEED PRINTERS WITH COLUMN SPANNING HAMMERS Original Filed Nov. 25.196C 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ill 3 FIG. 5

INVENTOR CARL I. WASSERMAN BY QMw M ATTORNEY United States Patent 26,240HIGH SPEED PRINTERS WITH COLUMN SPANNING HAMMERS Carl I. Wasserman, 8549213th St., Queens Village, N.Y. 11427 Original No. 3,220,343, dated Nov.30, 1965, Ser. No. 71,640, Nov. 25, 1960. Application for reissue Jan.3, 1966, Ser. No. 523,832

(Filed under Rule 47(b) and 35 U.S.C. 118) 13 Claims. (Cl. 101-93)Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent butforms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italicsindicates the additions made by reissue.

The present invention concerns high speed printers and, in particular,rotating type drum printers and the like.

There are many applications for high speed printers. Electroniccomputers, for example, utilize high speed printers for printing outvarious types of information. One type of printer which may be operatedat high speed in keeping with the requirements met in electroniccomputer systems utilizes a drum carrying type faces which are printedon pressure sensitive paper by means of fast acting magneticallyactuated hammers. The type on the drum is arranged in columns and aprinting hammer is provided for each column of type. The number ofcolumns utilized is determined by the number of characters to be printedper line on the paper. The type drum is rotated continuously andprinting is accomplished by actuating the printing hammers during veryshort time periods during which a given type character is at a desiredprinting position. Various timing circuits, counters, gates and powersources are utilized in the logical circuits of such a printer.

It has been found according to the present invention that a considerablesaving can be accomplished in such a printing system, if the number ofhammers is reduced by making one hammer span more than one column oftype, by moving the hammers between two or more columns or by utilizingcolumn spanning hammers and moving them as well. When each hammer spanstwo columns of type, only half as many hammers, hammer drive circuitsand a number of circuit devices are required and when each hammer spansN columns, only l/n of these items are required. The optimum number ofcolumns spanned per hammer will depend on a number of factors which neednot be discussed here. It has also been found that the column spanninghammers with or without lateral movement are of considerable applicationand advantage in a system in which the type characters are carried by anendless belt and moved along the line of hammers.

Accordingly one object of the present invention is to simplify andreduce the cost of printers utilizing continuously rotated type drumsand in-line printing hammers.

Another object is to provide methods of and means for utilizing columnspanning hammers in a printer utilizing a continuously rotated typedrum.

Still another object is to provide methods of and means for utilizinghammers which are moved laterally between columns in a printer utilizinga continuously rotated type drum.

A further object is to combine column spanning with movement in thehammer system of a drum printer.

A still further object is to utilize a type belt in conjunction withcolumn spanning or movable hammers or both.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe detailed description of the invention given in connection with thevarious figures of the drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a system utilizing column spanning hammers and a type drum.

FIG. 2 shows a type belt or chain in combination with column spanninghammers.

FIG. 3 shows an alternate form of type belt or chain type ofconfiguration.

FIG. 4 shows a type drum in combination with movable column spanninghammers.

FIG. 5 shows some details of the hammer construction useful in thesystems of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a type drum 1 carrying [rows] columns of type 6, 7 and 8through 9, 10 and 11. Each of these [rows] columns contains a completecomplement as, for example. the alphabet plus numerals from 1 through 9and 0. These [rows] columns of characters are staggered so that aprinting hammer such as 13 can strike only one character at a time.Thus, if hammer 13 spans three columns of characters, the characters arestaggered to take three different circumferential positions and are thenrepeated to form groups of three along the drum. The first and last suchgroupings of three staggered columns only are shown as it will beunderstood that intermediate groupings are similar. Drum 1 is mounted ona suitable shaft 2 and rotated continuously by motor 3 receiving powerover leads 4 and 5. The rotation of drum 1 is accompanied by therotation of a hammer tone wheel 22 turned by shaft 21 and clock tonewheel 34 turned by shaft 33. The printing from type drum 1 is carriedout on a suitable medium such as pressure sensitive paper 12 by means ofa row of three column hammers the first of which 13 and the last ofwhich 16 only are shown since all those in between are similar. Hammer13 is actuated by a hammer solenoid 14 (see FIG. 5 for more details)powered from hammer drive power source 15.

While considerable variations in the logical circuits are possible, onepossible arrangement includes utilizing pulses generated by clock tonewheel 34 having contact segments 35 and fixed contact 37. Pulses thusgenerated are applied over lead 39 to counter 41 which receives onepulse from clock tone wheel 34 for each character on drum 1 passing thehammer line. A reset contact 36, which contacts fixed contact 38,transmits a resetting pulse over lead 40 to counter 41 in order to resetthe counter. This reset contact 36 is phased with the characters on drum1 so that counting starts with the start of the character sequence or atsome predetermined point in the sequence. Thus, the count in the counter41 at any time represents the type drum character in the vicinity of thehammer line. This character representative count in counter 41 isapplied to comparators 52, 53, 54, etc. over leads 51, 50, and 49respectively. An additional comparator, not shown, is provided for eachcolumn of characters on type drum 1. Information to be printed in columnone is applied from its source over lead 61 to storage which is coupledto comparator 52 over leads 55, 56, 57, 58

,. and 59, with one lead for each code digit in the character coderepresenting the character to be printed. Similarly, information to beprinted in column two is applied to storage 67 over lead 68 and storage67 is connected to comparator 53 over code leads 62, 63, 64, and 66. Inthe same manner information for column three is applied over lead tostorage 74 which in turn is connected to comparator 54 over leads 69,70, 71, 72 and 73. In a similar manner information for each charactercolumn is stored and compared. When a match is found between the countin counter 41 and the stored information, a pulse is emitted over acorresponding one of leads 76, 77, 78 etc. to the connected and gate 30,31, 32 etc. A second signal is supplied to these and gates from ringcounter 43, 45, 47 etc. which are interconnected by leads 44, 46 andreturn 48 and are pulsed once for each revolution of drum 1 by resetcontact 36 over leads 40 and 42. The first revolution of drum 1 iscarried out with stage one so that and gate 30 receives a signal overlead 79. If at this time a signal is also being received over lead 76indicated that a character is to be printed in column one, the hammerdrive source is activated over lead 82, through OR circuit and over lead19 in response to the timing provided by one of segments 23 of hammertiming wheel 22 contacting contactor 26 and sending a hammer timingsignal over lead 29 to and circuit 30 at the proper instant forprinting. To repeat the sequence, a character representation to beprinted is loaded into storage which finds a match in comparator 52 anda signal indicating this fact is applied to and gate 30. Since ringstage one 43 is on, and" gate 30 receives a second signal and printingis completed when a timed enable signal is applied over lead 29producing an and gate response over lead 82 to activate hammer drive 15.Similar sequences are produced for all the other columns of characterson drum 1. Upon the next revolution of clock wheel 34, a reset pulsefrom contact 36 shifts the ring counter on condition to stage two 45which signals and" gate 31 over lead 80. The enable pulse from hammertone wheel 22 is picked up by the contact 25 over lead 28. Contact 25 isspaced from contact 26 by the same angular distance as the staggerdistance between characters in columns 6 and 7 etc. in order to preservethe timing function provided by hammer tone wheel 22. Three coincidentsignals to and" gate 31 provide a print instruction over lead 83, SRgate 20 and lead 19 to hammer drive 15 causing hammer 13 to print apredetermined character in column 7. In the same manner all the othercolumns are printed, column three, for example, being printed inresponse to activation of and gate 32 including an enable signal fromcontact 24 over lead 27, ring stage 47 over lead 81 and over its outputlead 84.

FIG. 2 shows how column spanning hammers may be utilized in a system inwhich the characters are carried by a belt or chain along a lineparallel to a line passing through the aligned printing hammers. Here achain or belt 117 passing around wheels 118 and 119, one of which may bea drive wheel and the other merely an idler carries type characters 120,121, 122, 123, through 128 which are repeated a number of times equal tothe character space span of one hammer and spaced by the width of onehammer. In other words if each of hammers 124, 125, 126, 127 through 129spans three character spaces, each character is placed three spacesapart and is repeated three times. While details will not be shown or described, this arrangement is made for the purpose of simplifying thelogical circuits and apparatus required for printing which in many waysis similar to that which has been shown and described in connection withFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows still another arrangement wherein type belt or chain 85 iscarried by wheels 93 and 94 and in turn carries type characters 86-, 87,88 through 91, etc. and is provided with multiple width hammers 89, 90through 92. The characters 86, 87, 88 etc. in this case are not repeatedwhereby the length of the belt or chain is less than that of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a further modification in which type drum carries typecharacters 96 arranged in pairs of staggered columns. Drum 95 is carriedon shaft 101 and continuously rotated by motor 102 receiving power overleads 103 and 104. Hammers 97, 98 through 99 span two columns each andare shifted two columns at each second revolution of drum 95. Thehammers are coupled to which carries a pin 109 riding in a slot of disc108. This slot 110 is shaped so that during one half of a revolution ofdisc 108, bar 100 is moved to the left to position the hammers as shownby the solid lines and during the other half of the revolution arepositioned to the right as shown by the dotted lines. Disc 108 isrotated once for each four revolutions of drum 95 by gear 105 on shaft101 and gear 106 turning shaft 107 attached to disc 108. Thus, duringthe first two revolutions of drum 95, hammer 97 prints out the first twocolumns of type characters and during the third and fourth revolutionsprints out the third and fourth columns of type.

FIG. 5 shows some details of a suitable hammer arrangement for use inthe systems of the present invention. This is an end view and ShOWs atypical type drum 95 carrying raised type faces 96. Hammer 97 is pivotedat 112 and is returned by spring 111 attached to frame 113. Solenoid 114receiving power over leads 115 and 116 when energized to pull back thelower end of hammer 97, causes it head to impress one of characters 96on a suitable medium such as pressure sensitive paper 130.

Thus it has been shown that high speed printers may utilize printinghammers with elongated heads to span more than one predeterminedcharacter printing position. Since printing in such devices is usuallycarried out a line at a time, the hammer heads are aligned along whatmay be termed the printing line. Along this line a predetermined numberof equally spaced characters are to be printed. Previous printers haveutilized a separate hammer for each of these predetermined characterpositions and the type faces on the drum or belt have been spaced by anamount also equal to the distance between these predetermined characterprinting positions. The printing is carried out by pressing a web to beprinted upon between a hammer head and a type face on the drum or belt.This Web to be printed upon may be ordinary paper in which case an inkedribbon or other suitable source of marking color may be utilized or itmay be pressure sensitive paper requiring no additional source of color.

Where the type faces are carried on a drum, successive rows of type areoffset around the drum by an amount equal to a character height orslightly more so that a character in one row only may be impressed bythe hammer at any given instant. In the case of a belt carrying the typefaces, the type faces are spaced along the belt by some multiple of thedesired adjacent printed character positions which is also equal to thelength of the printing hammer head along the printing line.

While only a few forms of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in theart and within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth inparticular in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a high speed printer, the combination of, at least two [rows]columns of substantially equally spaced type faces moving continuouslypast a printing line in a staggered offset manner for printing upon aweb positioned opposite said type faces along said printing line, and aplurality of printing hammers including printing heads positioned inproximity to said printing line wherein said heads are dimensioned tospan more than one column to print at a plurality of predeterminedinstantaneous type positions along said printing line and includingcontrol circuit means to cause a hammer to print a selected type in aselected [row] column.

2. In a high speed printer, the combination of, a constantly [rotarytype] rotatable drum, an array of type faces in staggered and offsetcolumns and rows on said constantly [rotary type] rotatable drum movablepast a print line, and a row of printing hammers in close juxtapositionto the type faces at said printing line each hammer including a headspanning plural columns and including control circuit means to cause ahammer to print a selected type in a selected row.

3. In a high speed printer, the combination of, a [constantialy rotarytype] constantly rotatable drum, an array of type faces in staggered andoffset columns and rows on said constantly [rotary type] rotatable drummovable past a print line, a plurality of printing hammers includingheads spanning at least two of said columns, and hammer control circuitsincluding enabling means responsive to alternate revolutions of saiddrum.

4. In a high speed printer, the combination of, an array of type facesin staggered and otfset columns and rows on a constantly [rotary type]rotatable drum movable past a print line, and a plurality of printinghammers including printing heads positioned in proximity to saidprinting line wherein said heads are dimensioned to span at least twodiscrete instantaneous type print positions along said printing line.

5. In a high speed printer, the combination of, an array of type facesin staggered and offset columns and rows on a constantly [rotary type]rotatable drum movable past a print line, and a plurality of individualhammers having heads spanning plural columns, and a control circuit toselect a hammer to print a selected row when said type drum is in apredetermined rotational position.

6. In a high speed printer, the combination of a constantly [rotarytype] rotatable drum carrying an array of type faces in staggered andoffset columns and rows past a print line, a plurality of hammers havingheads spanning plural columns for cooperating with said type faces toprint on a web, and synchronized enabling circuits for controlling saidhammers in accordance with predetermined instantaneous type facepositions upon said rotating drum.

7. In a high speed printer the combination of, flexible carrier meanssupporting an array of type faces [in staggered and offset columns androws past] for movement past printing columns on a print line forprinting on a web, said type faces being spaced uniformly on saidcarrier so that there is one type face for plural columns, circuit meansfor providing signals indicating the printing positions for said typefaces, and an individual printing hammer having a head spanning saidplural columns.

[8. In a printing device, the combination of, an array of type faces instaggered and offset columns and rows fixedly attached to a means formoving said type faces continuously through a plurality of predeterminedprinting positions, and a printing hammer including a head spanning aplurality of said printing columns and including control circuit meansto cause a hammer to print a selected type in a selected row.]

[9. In a printing device, the combination of, a movable means supportinga plurality of rows and columns of type faces, the type faces inadjacent rows being staggered and offset, means for continuously movingsaid faces across a predetermined printing line, and a plurality ofprinting hammers wherein each printing hammer includes a head spanningat least two of said columns of type and including control circuit meansto cause a hammer to print a selected type in a selected row] 10. In ahigh speed printer, the combination of, a rotating drum carrying aplurality of spaced columns and rows of type arranged in a staggered andoffset pattern, a plurality of type hammers mounted in a row to printupon a web located between said hammers and said drum, each of saidhammers including head portions to span at least two columns, and meansfor alternately shifting said hammers along said row in synchronism withthe rotation of said drum to print from alternate columns of type andincluding control circuit means to cause a hammer to print a selectedtype in a selected row.

11. In combination, a rotary drum print wheel having formed on thesurface thereof a plurality of columns of spaced characters arrangedcircumferentially on the surface of said wheel, each adjacent column ofcharacters having each character displaced from the character of theadjacent columns so that with respect to the characters in the adjacentcolumn each character lies along a longitudinal line parallel with theaxis of said wheel which line falls in a space between the characters ofthe adjacent column, a print hammer adapted to be moved adjacent saidwheel to move a medium which is to be printed upon against preselectedcharacters on said print wheel, said hammer having a face Widthsufficient to span at least two of said columns, and means connected tosaid hammer to activate said hammer to strike the one character in printposition in the columns spanned thereby.

12. In a high speed printer 0 the type in which characters are printedin character spaces located in columns extending longitudinally on a webof print receiving material and in a row ei'tending transversely of theweb, the combination comprising: an array of type faces, a carriersupporting said type faces for continuous movement past said characterspaces, means for driving said carrier to eficct such movement, saidtype faces being arranged on said carrier so that said type faces arespaced in a direction parallel to said rows by a distance spanning atleast two of said columns, a plurality of hammers having heads locatedon a print line extending parallel to the row, each of said handsspanning at least two of said columns, means to provide a signaldesignating the instant (I selected type face registers with a selectedcharacter space, and means to actuate one of said hammers in response tosaid signal whereby the web receives a printed image of the character onsaid selected type face at the location of said selected characterspace.

13. In a high speed printer of the type in which Characters are printedon a web of print receiving material in character spaces lying on aprint line, the combination comprising. an endless flexible carrier,means for driving said carrier continuously in a path having a flightportion parallel to said print line, a plurality of type faces supportedon said carrier for uninterrupted movement along said print line andpast said character spaces thereon, a plurality of hammers having headslocated on said print line, each of said hammers spanning at least twoof said character spaces, means to provide a signal designoting theinstant a selected type face registers with a selected character space,and means to actuate one of said hammers in response to said signalwhereby the web receives a printed image of a character on said selectedtype face at the location of said character space.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 13 in which the characters on saidtype faces are repeated in succession a number of times equal to thecharacter space span of the head on one of said hammers.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 13 in which the type faces areuniformly spaced on said carrier and in which each successive type facehas a different print character thereon.

References Cited The following references, cited by the Examiner, are ofrecord in the patented file of this patent or the original patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 800,205 9/1905 Carlson 197-45 X 1,957,167 5/1934Hoffman 101-90 2,101,444 12/1937 Miles 101-90 X 2,116,214 5/1938Robertson 101-90 X 2,669,177 2/1954 London 101--90 2,776,618 1/1957Hartley 101-93 2,796,830 6/1957 Hilton 10193 2,901,540 8/1959 Canepa.

2,906,200 9/1959 Pfieger 101-93 2,915,967 12/1959 Gehring et a1. 101-932,918,865 12/1959 Wooding 101-93 2,978,977 4/1961 Eckert et a1 101 -932,990,767 7/1961 Demer et a1. l01-93 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,204,579 8/1959France.

WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner. ROBERT E. PULFREY, Examiner. W. F.MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

Disclaimer Hvissuv N0. :Zf'KQ-lOfiJMi-I I. IVWLQSHIIINIIL, QueensVillage, NY. ll Hill SPEED llilN'llC 18 WITH COLUMN SPANNING II'AMMIIRS.Patent (lulml July i9. 196?. Disrluimei' filed Apr. 21, 1976, by theassignee, lor'h'i' [n-s'f/u/iu at ('0., [/m. Hereby enters thisdisclaimer to claims 7, l2 and 13 of said pun-lit.

[Of/Ida! Gazette July (7, 1976.]

